Building Belonging in Sports: Lessons from a Trans-Inclusive Weightlifting Event
Why Belonging Matters in Sports
What makes sports truly powerful? Is it the competition, the camaraderie, or the personal growth? For many athletes, it’s the sense of belonging—a feeling that they’re part of something bigger. Unfortunately, in today’s high-performance spaces, divisive rhetoric often challenges this sense of inclusion, particularly for trans athletes, queer athletes, athletes with disabilities, and athletes of color.
Drop Deadlift audience members cheer on one of the weightlifters. Photo credit: Danny Captures
Earlier this month, I had the privilege of representing SKADI at Drop Deadlift Gorgeous—Solcana Fitness’s annual, trans-inclusive local weightlifting event held right here in the Twin Cities. Drop Deadlift Gorgeous is a community-powered event that shines a light on the importance of trans+ inclusion in sports. With trans+ rights under threat—especially in athletics—this volunteer-led event brings people together to advocate for change. Through friendly competition, the 150 athletes and great community work together to raise awareness and funds to support trans+ and gender-expansive communities, while building a more inclusive and joyful future. The event also includes local vendors and community organizations that share Drop Deadlift’s values of inclusion, as well as food trucks, line dancing, and other fun activities.
I started working with SKADI earlier this summer, and as someone still new to the area, this event somehow felt deeply familiar. I grew up in the world of disability sport, competing as a visually impaired alpine skier at the Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Games. Sport spaces that celebrate difference, challenge norms, and embrace inclusivity have always felt like home to me.
Celebrating Difference at Drop Deadlift Gorgeous
Left to right: Staci, Billy (Staci’s guide dog), and Hannah at the Drop Deadlift Gorgeous event. Photo credit: Danny Captures
One of my favorite parts of being on the SKADI team is getting to participate in community events like this one. Hearing the crowd cheer on their teammates, chatting with folks from all walks of life, and sharing information about equity, diversity, and inclusion—all while representing a field like sport psychology, which can sometimes come with accessibility barriers of its own—reminds me why I love this work.
That’s also what I appreciate most about SKADI’s mission: we don’t just talk about inclusion, we show up for it. Sponsoring and engaging in events like Drop Deadlift Gorgeous gives us a chance to support our local community and help build a sport culture that celebrates difference rather than resists it.
The Challenges of Belonging in Sports
What feels less familiar, though, is the divisive rhetoric that has increasingly found its way into conversations about sport—particularly in high-performance spaces. Too often, we hear narratives suggesting that athletes who are different—trans athletes, queer athletes, athletes with disabilities, and athletes of color—don’t belong.
That couldn’t be further from what sport should stand for.
How Sport Psychology Supports Inclusion
As a sport psychology provider, I have the privilege of building meaningful relationships with athletes across identities and experiences. Together, we work on:
Managing performance anxiety and how to overcome it
Improving self-talk to build confidence and combat self-doubt
Staying mindful
Becoming more resilient and navigating adversity
For athletes, these skills often lead to better performance. But for me, it’s about something even deeper.
Sport psychology isn’t just about helping people perform better—it’s about helping people become better. It’s about cultivating the tools to show up authentically, to embrace challenges, and to grow—not only as athletes, but as human beings.
Belonging: The Heart of Sport
“As someone who knows what it feels like to be on the outside, I want sport to send a different message—to show that everyone deserves a place, and that anyone can look at an athlete and think, “There’s space for me there too.””
Belonging is what gives sport its power—and when everyone has access to it, sport becomes a place where we all can grow, connect, and thrive.
As someone who knows what it feels like to be on the outside, I want sport to send a different message—to show that everyone deserves a place, and that anyone can look at an athlete and think, “There’s space for me there too.”
Being at Drop Deadlift Gorgeous reminded me that inclusion isn’t a passive thing that just happens. Rather, it’s intentionally built, rep by rep, by communities who believe everyone deserves to belong.
Practical Steps to Foster Inclusion in Sports
Inclusion in sports doesn’t happen overnight and the process comes with its fair share of challenges, but there are steps we can all take to make a difference:
Challenge exclusionary narratives. Speak up when you hear rhetoric that marginalizes athletes.
Educate yourself and others. Learn about the unique challenges faced by trans athletes, athletes with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups.
Create inclusive spaces. Whether it’s a team meeting or a community event, prioritize equity and accessibility.
Check out our resources on how to build inclusive communities in sport.Support mental skills development. Encourage athletes to work on resilience, mindfulness, and self-talk.
Explore mental strategies for stress management and peak performance.
Reimagining What Sport Can Be
At Skadi, we're proud to play even a small part alongside those who are challenging the status quo and reimagining what sport can and should be — a place where people are seen, cared for, included, embraced, cheered for, and empowered to be the best versions of themselves.
If you’re ready to take the next step in your journey—whether it’s building resilience, managing performance anxiety, or simply finding your place in sport—we’re here to help. At Skadi, we work with athletes across all identities and experiences to help them thrive both on and off the field.
